Striping attachment for circular-knitting machines.



W. T. BARRATT.

PATENTED DEG. 20.1904.

STRIPING ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1903.

6 SHBETB-SHEET 1.

No. 778,164. PATENTED 13138.20 1904. w. T. BARRATT; STRIPING ATTAGHMENTPOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1903.

NO MODEL.

6 SHBET$SHEET z.

" PI E E I ii I v xznEEi/ aaz INVENTUR:

No. 778,164. PATENTED DEC. 20,1904.

W. T. BARRATT.

STRIPING ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.25, 1903.

NO MODEL. I 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVERTER PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904.

W. T. BARRATT. STRIPING ATTACHMENT FQR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4 N0 MODEL.

WITNEI BEBE:

- I INYEIN'TEIEL No. 778,164. PATENTED DEC. 20', 1904.

v W; T. BARRA'TT. ST-RIPING ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

e sums-SHEET 5Q PIEll:

FIEIEI 1517:

, ITNEEEEE:

W INVENTE R:

PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904.

W. T. BAR'RATT; I STRIPING ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

uruognou FILED we. 25, 1903. V

' a sums-sum 6.

NO MODEL.

FIEJE;

INVBNTEJR 1TNEEEEE-' T No. 778,164.

UNITED STATES Patented December 2O, 190 1.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. BARRATT, OF BENNINGTON, VERMONT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,164, dated December 20, 1904.

' Application filed August 25, 1905 Serial No. 170,700. I

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM T. BARRATT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Ben-- tical section.

' cularKnitting Machines, of which and holder and the yarn-dropper.

hereinafter described. I I enlarged side elevation of a portion of the nee- 4 vices of this character and at the same time to make their operation curate.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved attachment more certain and acf with the yarn dropper, yarn cutter, and holder removed, the attachment being shownin connection th a portion of the needle-cyllnder, which 1's shown lnsection. Fig. 2 ls'a similar view, but in which the yarn-fingers are omitted and the yarn dropper, holder, and cut -ter illustrated. Fig. 3 is an edge view looking'in the direction indicated by the arrow,

'Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a view in side elevation, showing the stitch-wheel, the yarn guide, and the yarn holder,cutter, and dropper, all being shown in connection with a portion of the needle-cylinder, the latter being shown in ver- 'Fig. 5 is a detached enlarged perspective view of the combined yarn cutter Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached view of the yarn-guide.

'Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the cams carried by the needle-cylinder which cooperate with certain parts of the mechanism to be Fig. 8 is a relatively dle-cylinder, showing thefcams which are carried thereby and cooperate with parts of the mechanism. Fig. 9 is a detached perspective view of the movable member A of the yarn holder and'cutter.

Fig. 10 is a detached perspective view of the stationary member of the yarn-cutter. Fig. 11 is a detached perspective view of the stationary member of the yarn-holder. Fig. 12 is a top' plan view of my improved attachment, showing. it .ar--

ranged in connection with a portion of the needle-cylinder.

Referring now to the drawings, Aindicates the needle-cylindenwhich carries the needles B, the operation of both ofzwhich being so well understood in the art thatfurther descrip- 1 to throw the respective yarns into and out of the stitch-wheel. -I here show two yarn-fingers 10 and 10, which are carried, respectively, by bell-crank levers G, and these levers G are intermediately pivoted to the upper ends of camlevers Gr, each of which carries a cam 13.

.The levers are pivoted at the point J upon a suitable bracket or arm K, and the lower ends L of these levers are guided by a suitable slotted plate 18. The inner ends of the bell-crank levers G are slotted, as shown at g, and into these slots project a pin h, carried by a suitable arm or bracket e';

The periphery of the pattern-wheel 17 is provided with a plurality of openings which are adapted to receive suitable screws or pins 12, and these openings are arranged in circular series, as clearly'shown in Fig. 3, The cams 13, carried by the cam-levers G', are adapted to coact'with the pins orscrews of these openings, the cam carried by one lever coacting with one'of the circular series of screws and the cam or cams of the other lever or levers coacting with other circular series of the said screws. When the cam-of one of these levers G is engaged by the screw of its series, it is moved into the position to move the yarnfinger upward into the position shown by the yarn finger 10, Fig. 1, and thus carrying the yarn out of operation.

Springs 19 and 20 are respectively connected with these levers G and serve to normally draw them inward and to normally hold the yarn-fingers in the position assumed by the finger 10 in Fig. 1, and hence to hold the yarn in the position to enter into the stitch-wheel. From this it will be readily understood that the placing of the screws in the openings of the series formed in the pattern-wheel will control the positions of the yarn-fingers, and hence control the throwing of the yarn into and out of the stitch-wheel. For instance, the omission of one or more of the screws from the series of openings coacting with the cam-lever carrying the yarn-finger will cause the yarn-finger to be dropped or moved into position to cause the yarn to be carried into the stitch-wheel, and the placing of the screws in the openings will cause the yarn-finger to be lifted and the yarn carried out of the stitchwheel. I

In machines of this character it is necessary to cut and to hold the yarn which is carried out of the stitch-Wheel until it is desired to have the yarn to again enter the stitch-wheel. proved mechanism for accomplishing this consists of a' vertically-arranged stationary cutter Cand a movable cutter A. The movable cutter is journaled upon a suitable pivotal arm M, and secured rigidly to the cutter-blade A is a rod I, to the outer end of which is attached a spring 31, which normally holds the cutter closed. The cutter is opened into the position shown in Fig. 2 through the medium of the lever 14, a link 15 having one end connected to the lever and its opposite end connected to a crank-arm 26, which is carried by an oscillating rod 3, the outer end of this rod 3 carrying a crank-arm 3, which in turn is provided with a wheel or truck 29, which is adapted to be engaged by a cam a at the under side of the needle-cylinder A. A spring 35 normally holds the said parts in the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, and the cam a serves to carry the parts in the position shown in solid lines, Fig. 3. When moved in the position shown in solid lines, Fig. 3, an arm 27, rigidly connected with the bar 3, is caught and held by a latch-lever 4. When the parts are held in this position, the upper end of the lever 14 engages the under side of the rod I and raises it against the tension of the spring 31, and hence holds the cutterblade a in an open position, as shown in Fig. 2. The upper end of the latch-lever 4 is provided with a shoulder 6, adapted to be engaged by a long screw 5, projecting from the periphery of the pattern-wheel 17 WVhen so engaged, the latch-lever is moved into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, and thus releases the arm 27, which permits the spring 35 to oscillate the rod 3 and carry its parts into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3. When the cam a engages the truck My im- 29, the lever 14; is depressed, which permits the spring 31 to draw the rod l downward and to close the cutter-blade a. \Vhen the yarn is cut, it has a tendency to drop, and hence a suitable holder must be provided, and for the purpose of making the cutter-blade coact with a stationary member ID and efl'ect a positive holding of the yarn the adjacent faces of the cutter-blade (1/ and of the member D are each provided with felt pads N. I

which serve to positively grasp the cut end 01 the yarn and to firmly hold it until it is re leased by the opening of the cutter-blade.

A stitch-wheel 19 is carried by an arm or bracket P, and this arm or bracket is supported by a suitable standard Q. Also projecting from the standard Q is a yarn-guide 23, and this yarn-guide is provided with a hook 22, into which the yarn is thrown as it is raised above the back of the needles by the raising of the yarn-finger, and the hook holds the yarn so that it continues to be fed to the stitchwheel until the new yarn which has been dropped by the dropping of the yarn-linger carrying it has reached the stitch-wheel. The rotation of the needle-cylinder toward the end of the guide carries or pushes the yarn ofl' ol the book 22 and elevates the yarn to the top of the needles and also carries it between the movable and stationary cutters at the point marked X, Fig. 2.

The yarn-dropper E is carried or operated by a lever 1, the opposite end of the lever being pivoted to an arm 16. A. cam 8 is carried by the lever1, and this cam is adapted to be engaged by screws 7, placed in a series oi openings formed in the side of the pattern wheel 17. The screws 7 serve to elevate the lever 1, and hence elevate the yarn-dropper E. The omission of the screws permits the lever 1, and hence the yarn-dropper, to be drawn downward or dropped, and a spring S serves to cause the parts to drop. The purpose ol. the yarn-dropper is to carry the yarn down at the back and between the noodles and to make sure that the yarn will be pushed onto the yarn-guide and pass into the stitch-wheel 19.

As clearly shown, the pattern-wheel is provided with peripheral ratchet-teeth T, and a pawl W is adapted to engage these teeth for rotating the pattern whecl one tooth. The pawl is actuated by a lever 2, which carries a wheel or truck 20, and this truck 20 is adapted to be engaged by the cam-surfaces 7;, c, and (Z, Figs. 7 and 8, carried by the needle-eylinder in a manner to be presently explained when stating the operation of the mechanism.

The operation of my improved striping mechanism is as follows: The parts being in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the yarn carried by the yarn-linger 11 is entered into the stitch-wheel, while the yarn carried by the finger 10 is thrown out of the stitchwheel. The yarn carried by the linger 11 conjoining of the yarn into the fabric.

tinues to enter the stitch-wheel, and the rotation of the needle-cylinder A causes the cam to engage the truck 20, which moves the pawl W just sufficiently to engage a tooth of the pattern-wheel. The continued rotation of the needle-cylinder brings the cam-surface 0 into engagement with the truck 20, and thereby moves the lever 2 farther back, and hence moves the pawl W farther, and begins the rotation of the pattern-wheel sufiiciently to cause the screws of the pattern-wheel which coact with the yarn-finger to disengage the cam 32 and permit its lever G to be drawn inward by its spring 20, and hence throws the yarn carried thereby into action and makes the As the needle-cylinder continues to revolve the truck 20 is brought into engagement with the camsurface d, which revolves the pattern-wheel still farther and brings the screw-pin 5 in contact with the upper end of the pivoted le-' ver 4 and moves it into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, against the tension ofthe spring 18 and releases the arm 27,

which causes the cutter-blade a to be opened by the upward movement of the lever 1 in the manner previously described. This movement of the pattern-wheel at the same time causes the screws coacting with the lever G, with which the yarn-finger 11 is connected, to engage the cam 13 01 the said lever Gr, thus forcing the lever outward and raising the yarn-finger 11 and throwing its yarn out of action, and the yarn is carried in the manner previously described between the cutters. The continued rotation of the needle-cylinder causes the cam to engage the truck 29, which draws the lever 1 downward, as before explained, and the spring 31, connected to the rod I, closes the cutter-blade a, cutting the yarn and also-positively holding it between the padded surfaces N of the cutter-blade and the member D. This operation is repeated at each revolution of the needle-cylinder A, or it may be repeated several times during the operation of the cylinder A by providing the needle-cylinder'with several sets of the cams'a and .7) c and d and correspondingly arranging the screws carried by the patternwheel and providing a suitable number of" pins 5, this being merely a duplication or multiplication of the operation of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is r 1. A striping attachmentfor knitting-machines, including a rotatable pattern-wheel, a

and holder, and a vertically-movable yarn dropper and guide adjacent said holder and means for operating said parts.

3. In a striping attachment for knittingma'chines, movable yarn-fingers, a patternwheel and a yarn-dropper controlled by the movement of the pattern-wheel.

4. In a striping attachment for knittingv machines, movable yarn-fingers, a pattern wheel, a yarn-dropper, including a lever pivoted at one end, and a vertical member pivoted to the free portion of said lever, the lever being operated by the movement of said pattern-wheel.

5. In a striping attachment for knittingmachines, movable yarn-fingers, a patternwheel, anda normally depressed yarn-dropper, said pattern-wheel adapted to lift said yarn-dropper and to control its downward movement.

6. In a striping attachment for knittingmachines, a pattern-wheel, movable yarn-fingers controlled thereby, a yarn holder and cutter, a yarn-dropper, and operative connections'for the holder and dropper adapted to drop the dropper when the holder is released. i I g In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the'presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM T. BARRATT.

Witnesses:

CHARLES S. KEHoE, E. T. TUTTLE. 

